tó
/tʰó/
The Navajo word for water is tó.
tó refers to the inorganic compound H₂O.
Meaning: inorganic compound H₂O (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/tʰó/
Did you know?
- In traditional Navajo culture, water is often treated as a living entity with its own spirit, rather than just a chemical compound.
- Because water is sacred, there are specific traditional protocols and prayers associated with the act of fetching tó from a natural source.
- The word tó originates from the Proto-Athabaskan root *tuˑ.
Examples in context
- Tó éí iiná átʼé.Water is life.This sentence illustrates how to use tó when describing water as life.
Example conversation
Michelle and Tyler are hiking on a hot day.
- MichelleTó tʼáá áánííh.I need some water.
- TylerTó nitsʼááł.Here is the water.
- MichelleAhéheeʼ, Tyler.Thank you, Tyler.
- TylerÁko.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “water” translations and entries tó, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tó, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
